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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23040487">When the Party's Over</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneJessabelle12626/pseuds/Lady-Spieroles'>Lady-Spieroles (SeleneJessabelle12626)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>silence is my favorite sound [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ben takes care of Rey, Body Worship, Can I tag that in bold, Caring, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Devoted Kylo Ren, Empress Rey, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Foreplay, Hair Braiding, Its all it is really, Massage, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey fell on Exegol, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, Vaginal Fingering</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:14:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,282</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23040487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneJessabelle12626/pseuds/Lady-Spieroles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“May I take care of you, my Empress?” He whispered, pressing his lips to the crown of her head, inhaling the scent of the perfumed oils and soaps she’d been bathed with. </p><p>“Yes.” She breathed and he felt her body slacken in his hold, giving herself entirely over to him and letting herself relax in his arms.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>silence is my favorite sound [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>When the Party's Over</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Don't you know too much already?<br/>I'll only hurt you if you let me<br/>Call me friend but keep me closer (call me back)<br/>And I'll call you <i>when the party's over</i></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wish to retire.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The statement came through across the bond so abruptly that he turned to her in confusion. She gave no outward appearance of being done with the pomp of the state dinner, but truthfully her expression rarely left it’s neutral mask. They’d been at the dinner for nearly three and a half hours now due to ten courses and the cocktail hour beforehand. She’d kept her temper remarkably well, though he had been privy to a running mental string of bitter words to the courtiers and senators who annoyed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without a word, he stood from his spot beside her and pulled her chair far enough away from the table that she could stand. Much of the table turned to look at them both at his sudden movement, hastening to stand in respect when she did. They inclined their heads in deference when she slid her arm through his presented one. Sometimes she offered explanations and apologies when she left events without warning but it depended on the mood she was in. Tonight it seemed the courtiers would get no such luxury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They swept from the room without a word, she a half step ahead of him despite the appearance that he was leading. She led him through the halls of the palace silently, her mind closed to him. He didn’t pry, after her actions earlier that afternoon he’d gathered that today had been a rough day for her. They didn’t often speak about it, but he knew that she did retain some semblance of self from the time before Exegol. It didn’t manifest frequently, she was still steeped in the Dark Side, but some days she was able to push it further into her mind. The bond helped, physical contact with him helped more, his soft light chasing away the shadows temporarily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gently, he placed his hand over the slim one that held his elbow, trickling his light slowly into the bond so that she could indicate against his actions if she desired. He wasn’t surprised when she didn’t. The flash of hazel in her eyes he’d seen that afternoon was proof enough that she was fighting the darkness today. Her grip on his arm tightened for a moment, the soft squeeze an acknowledgement of his actions, but still not a sound was made. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The turbolift was empty when the doors slid open, not surprising considering the hour. Much of the staff had gone home for the day while the rest of the essential workers were focusing their attention on the dinner. The lift slid into motion and then there was a soft pressure on his shoulder. Her golden gaze was straight ahead but her head rested against the rich black fabric of his dress cloak where it draped across him. Ben let go of her hand to reach across his body and delicately place his hand on her cheek. There was a flutter across the bond, a flicker of her emotions leaking past her mental walls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lift came to a smooth stop, forcing him to remove his hand and her to stand up straight once more. On her private levels there were no prying eyes of cameras or staff so the moment they stepped from the lift he swept her into his arms, clutching her close to his chest. The Empress didn’t fight him, wrapping her arms around his neck and tucking her face into his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Truly he wasn’t sure which Rey he preferred, the powerful Empress or the woman so broken inside that she didn’t object to being cared for. Neither were the Scavenger he’d first known her as, who had captured his mind and entwined with his soul, but he’d come to terms that the Scavenger was dead in the same way Kylo Ren was. Usually she was able to keep a balance around him, even encouraging him to show her memories of their past together to help her relearn better who she had been. She trusted him explicitly and he trusted her. They were a pair after all, a Dyad, two that were one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to her room slid open with a thought and he laid her on the bed with all the care in the galaxy, pressing his lips to her forehead momentarily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll send Meyara in to help you prepare for bed.” He told her quietly as he stood. He had the code for the Empresses lead handmaiden programmed into his personal comm and often called her on the Empresses behalf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, stay. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Be with me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She said, reaching out to wrap a hand around his wrist. The bond thrummed at the touch of her hand on the skin beneath his glove. She looked up at him, eyes the mesmerizing color between amber and hazel, a radiant gold that he’d grown used to seeing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you wish.” He replied, pulling her to her feet so he could help her undress. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked this of him, if he was feeling coy he might have still sent her handmaid in and simply sat nearby, purposefully misinterpreting her request. But not today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slid her hand down his, removing one glove and then the other, moving one of his bare hands to cup her cheek. He let the other rest on her waist, her slim build was exaggerated by the structure of her gown and with it, his hand spanned nearly half her waist. He stroked his thumb across the apple of her cheek, heart thumping as her eyes drifted closed. The sign of intimate trust made something in his mind tremble with possessive satisfaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I take care of you, my Empress?” He whispered, pressing his lips to the crown of her head, inhaling the scent of the perfumed oils and soaps she’d been bathed with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She breathed and he felt her body slacken in his hold, giving herself entirely over to him and letting herself relax in his arms. He held her for a moment, opening his side of the bond to her. It was a rare opportunity she was giving him, usually she was in control commanding him to her whims. She’d only done this once before, in the early months of her reign when she’d grown so overwhelmed that she was nearly catonic. He’d held her then too, but not until he’d delegated some of her tasks and dealt with others on his own so that she could focus on taming the voices in her head. They’d spent several days in her rooms, he taking care of her until the storm in her mind had calmed down enough that she could function. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn’t nearly as bad as that had been, but who was he to question what she wanted or needed? If she needed him to care for her tonight, then he would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get you undressed sweetheart.” He knew he wouldn’t get much by way of response from her, verbally at least, not while she was so focused on the battle in her mind, the voices of the Sith that she constantly kept in check. Already he could feel the turmoil coming from her side of the bond despite the mental walls she had in place. It was almost like meditating, her thoughts turning inward as she focused on her ties to the Force. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without removing his hands from her, he turned her around so he could have access to the back of her gown. He set to undoing the row of buttons that trailed down the length of her spine. This gown, made of deep emerald fabric accented with golden filigree designs, covered nearly all of her sun-kissed skin. With each undone button, he was gifted with more and more of that beautiful skin. He couldn’t resist tracing a finger down her spine as he parted the fabric. She had just enough awareness to shiver under his touch, a soft breath leaving her lips. As he reached her hips, the gentle curve of her ass was revealed to him, covered by a thin slip of black silken fabric. He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck while his hands blindly dipped into her gown, stroking the globes of her ass through the fabric hiding them. Another soft breath and her entire body leaning back into him was his reward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the gown now loose, he had freedom to touch and stroke and caress her skin, to put his hands all over her and keep constant skin to skin contact with her. Within the dress he began to run his hands up, over her hips and to her waist, her toned stomach, higher and higher until he reached the swell of her chest. Her breasts were dwarfed by his massive hands easily. She was self-conscious about them, he’d seen such thoughts deep in her mind, worried they were too small, weren’t the right shape, weren’t perky, all manner of things. He had no problems with them, he thought she was beautiful head to toe. She typically chastised him mockingly for saying so. It was that self-doubt that drove him to worship her, to prove how beautiful and alluring he found her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grazed his fingertips across her nipples, they were slowly stiffening under his touch, but he didn’t linger for long. He brought his hands around to her back, running them up her shoulder blades to cup her shoulders. She was always stiff up here, muscles tight from stress and hunching over her desk. She needed a proper massage. Too bad she couldn’t trust anyone but him to touch her when she was so vulnerable and droids just simply didn’t do good enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always so tense sweetheart.” He murmured to her, kneading her flesh and digging into the knots beneath her skin. “You’d think with how often you had me fuck you that you’d be more relaxed.” He teased. Another pro to her letting go like this, he could loosen his own hold on his personality. He didn’t have to be the stoic, untouchable guard that the rest of the palace thought him to be nor did he have to be the intensely loyal servant he was to the Empress. He could just be what he fought so hard to be, himself. Of course she wouldn’t punish him if he always was himself, he just didn’t think she would appreciate his affectionate mocking or sarcastic quips when they weren’t alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head began to tilt back, a sure sign that she was enjoying his work. He massaged her for a few minutes more, finally moving to free her entirely of the gown. He slid the fabric down her arms, drawing her hips to his so that she was close enough for him to nose and kiss at her neck. With nothing left of the dress supported by her body it was easy for him to lift her mostly naked body into his arms and carry her over to the massive ‘fresher attached to her room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire ‘fresher was a picture of luxury and wealth, only the best for the Empress. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It's excessive.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The remnants of  Scavenger’s personality had snarled in the Empresses head when she’d first seen it. The statement had been much to Ben’s amusement, having grown up the son of Leia Organa. “It’s opulent.” he’d argued back, withholding his laughter. She’d come to accept it and simply just didn’t utilize it to the full potential on principal.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took this chance to do so. With the Force he flicked on the faucet over the immense marbled stone tub, steaming water beginning to fill it as he set her down on top of the toilet. She shivered from the cold touch on her barely clothed ass, “just for a second sweetheart.” he promised, searching for the cabinets to find where Meyara kept the bathing supplies the Empress never used. He found a bottle of scented bubble soap, gifted to the Empress it seemed by the ribbon around the neck of the bottle. Unopened of course. He dumped a quarter of the bottle into the steaming water, the soap swirling and dying the water lilac, scenting the air with lavender as bubbles began to form. While the tub filled her grabbed the cloth Meyara exclusively used to remove the Empress’s makeup, wetting it in the sink and crouching in front of her. He gently scrubbed away the formal makeup that had been caked onto her face, far more than she wore on a daily basis. This process was one she was used to and it showed as she contorted her face without prompting so he could get everything off. When she opened her eyes so that he could get to her eyelashes, her irises were a warm bronze, closer to hazel than gold or Sith amber. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey sweetheart, how you feeling?” He asked, swiping the cloth across her lip, removing the wine red color it had been stained with. She blinked slowly, in a bit of a daze. He’d been there before, straddling the line of awareness and meditation, usually if he was startled out of his meditative state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘M good, tired.” She said quietly. He moved the cloth around her face wordlessly, surprised by her gentle tone of voice.  “Thank you.” He paused, glancing back to her eyes and loosely probing her mind. It was still in a turbulent state, a dense shadowy haze seeping ominously from behind the shields she’d put further in her mind. A momentary reprieve but clearly not for much longer. She didn’t often thank him directly, typically offering praise and honeyed words instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here for you Rey, I promised I’d always be here for you.” It was a risk addressing her by her name usually. He was generally the only one who could but even then not without inciting anger. But in this distracted and soft mental state with the influence of the Sith pushed back, he figured it’d be fine. Their names were special, used exclusively in privacy and so rarely they became prayers of hope and reminders of what they’d endured. She was fighting a constant battle to remind herself who she was, past what the dark voices of the Sith spoke her in her head. He’d take whatever risks necessary to help her win.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hummed softly in response as her eyes slid shut once more, on the outside a picture of calm serenity. Then he felt the walls on her side of the bond slam into place so quickly it sent a spike of pain into his head. He winced but otherwise ignored it, far too used to pain. Honestly he hadn’t expected to hear anything from her until tomorrow morning, let alone from Rey instead of Empress Palpatine. “I’ve got you sweetheart, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you focus on shutting them up, I’ll take care of you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She didn’t reply but the shimmering feeling of affection came back across to him and it was more than enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swiped his thumb across the seam of her lips one last time before setting the cloth aside. The bath was full enough now, a thought turning the water off. She relaxed immediately in his arms when he lifted her up once more, and again that possessive side of him delighted at it. The most powerful woman in the galaxy, pliant in his arms, entirely his, trusting him to care for her and keep her safe. He set her on her feet on the plush bath mat, holding her steady with a hand on her waist. The thing about Rey, the Scavenger girl that he’d known before, she didn’t have the luxury of things like baths or warm water or even enough water to bathe consistently. The idea of a warm bath simply to relax was a waste of time, a huge waste of a precious resource. Despite the Empress losing much of what the Scavenger was, some parts of Rey still shone through. It was why she’d never touched the bathtub even when Meyara had promised it would help her relax or be soothing. It was exactly why he wanted to let her luxuriate in one now when she wouldn’t argue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben pressed his lips to her forehead, then her nose, her lips, her jaw, her neck, tracing his way downward. On each perfect breast he circled her dusky nipple with his tongue, sucking lightly. One side, then the other, before moving on. He crouched, kissing down her stomach, her navel, each hip bone, until he reached the only clothing she still wore, the black silk panties. His hands wrapped entirely around her hips, fingertips resting on the smooth silk covering her ass, thumbs dipping into the top band of her panties, teasing at the wisps of coarse hair. He reached out to the bond with a questioning emotion, no words, just inquiry that she was still okay with surrendering complete control to him. He rubbed circles into her skin while waiting for her reply, the bond causing the Force to tingle under his fingers. A moment later, a somewhat distracted and slightly aroused confirmation came across, as if questioning why he’d stopped. He held back his breathy chuckle but replied with a teasing mental bow, but her focus was already elsewhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Consent reaffirmed, he used his thumbs to slide the panties off her hips and down her legs. Now that she was completely bare to him, he continued his path, kissing the coarse curls as he knelt before her. He kept a hand on her hip to brace her, but still tilted his head up to kiss her slit, the skin there already getting damp from his actions. He licked a single stripe across her, holding her steady as her entire body shuddered. He pressed another kiss to her center before rising to his feet once more, lifting her up and settling her into the bath. She inhaled sharply at the change in sensation but leaned back nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben began to disrobe now, removing each layer of clothing and setting it aside neatly to be folded later. Her clothing needed another set of hands to get in and out of but at least she didn’t have nearly as many layers as he did. Finally when he was only in his thin black undertunic and trousers, he knelt next to the bathtub. Her shiny chestnut hair had been tied up in an elegant knot, regal and powerful and beautiful all at once. One by one he began to remove the pins, not even ashamed to use the Force to find them. Looser and looser the knot grew until it fell down of its own accord. He caught it before any fell into the tub, not wishing to worry about drying it off. He reached out, a brush coming to his hand without much thought and began to brush her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was younger he loved taking care of his mother’s hair. It had always been so soft and silky, the perfect texture to hold complex braids and hairstyles without frizzing and long enough that young Ben could twist and turn it to his heart's content without much fear of hurting her. Rey’s was similar enough, but unlike his mother who’d put time and effort into keeping her hair healthy, clean and perfectly styled, the woman Rey had been before she was the Empress hadn’t cared much at all. The length had been short enough to not be a nuisance but long enough that she could tie it back into her three little buns to keep it back and off of her face. Since then however, she’d let it grow out so that more elaborate styles could be made, now it reached to the middle of her back when let down. It gave him plenty to work with now in terms of braids. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alderaan’s culture had been mostly forgotten by the greater galaxy. Everyone knew of the disaster. Everyone knew Leia Organa had been the last living member of the royal family. Everyone knew that the Alderaanians had been a generally peaceful people. Past that, there were few things people knew. Things his mother had taught him, stories, songs, cultural things that she would not let be forgotten. Braids and hairstyles had always been his favorite part, so much could be said by the placement of a braid or the way it was twisted and formed. He’d spent hours practicing all different kinds on his mother. Occasionally now when they laid in bed and he couldn’t sleep, he’d twist Rey’s hair into different types of simple braids. He’d never really been presented with a chance to do more complicated things, but wasn’t about to waste it now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got to work quickly separating strands of different sizes, twisting and coiling them together into patterns long ago committed to muscle memory. On and on he went, working his way closer to her scalp until finally he tucked the last few pieces into place. He’d created a mix of two styles he felt appropriate, the criss crossing pattern of victory braids that had fallen out of fashion on Alderaan after they’d declared themselves a peaceful and neutral planet, but also the braid of a loved one. Typically done by mothers on their children, Leia had woven one in his hair once when he was young for the occasion of some big dinner or gala, he’d been teased so much by the other boys that he’d insisted she never braid his hair again. What a mistake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The water had begun to grow cold now, the bubbles nearly faded away, leaving Rey in a bath of lavender water. Ben stood and grabbed the largest fluffiest towel he could find. He reached in to drain the tub, wrapping her in the towel once the water was gone. She shivered lightly in his arms from the cool air on her wet skin but settled quickly. He carried her back to the bedroom, laying her down on the towel on the bed. He knew she’d never let an actual masseuse do anything for her, in fact she barely let Meyara rub her back, her skin and the right to touch belonged near exclusively to him. He didn’t have any real experience giving massages but he knew the concept well enough, enough that she would benefit either way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another gentle probe of her mind to check in on her, still fighting, still focused, still blocked from him. To think they’d gone much of their lives without realization of the bond. He couldn’t imagine not having it now, couldn’t envision being alone in his head at all times. Even now, when she was actively shutting him out, he could still feel the absence that implied the existence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looked down at her on the bed, her bed, but more often their bed. He’d seen her body countless times now in this capacity, certain parts more than others. How far they’d come from the forest of Takodana. That woman never would have believed that she’d one day trust him so completely to let down her guard in this way. And if someone had told him that he would grow to love that Scavenger girl so unconditionally that he treasured the chance to take care of her like this? Well, Kylo Ren would have killed them without thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He sent across the bond as he took one of her bare feet into his hands. Her skin was warm and damp from the bath, slightly wrinkled from the water, the faint scent of lavender drifted through the air.   </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You don’t let me say it but I do.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He switched to her other foot, massaging the soles and marvelling at the smoothness. The callouses on her hands had gone first once she’d stopped actively fixing things and working with parts. He’d been a bit remiss for her when her saber callouses had healed, though she favored the Force over her saber as a weapon now as many Sith did. He knew from stories that her grandfather almost exclusively used the Force and while he did possess a saber, had only used it in the most dire cases. It was good, Ben supposed, that she hadn’t spent weeks crafting a saber of her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They still had both Skywalker sabers, Luke’s, Anakin’s, stayed with Ben. His primary weapon, a balanced saber whose crystal’s hummed whenever he used it, attuned to Skywalker light. His mother’s saber, the one that Rey had slain Palpatine with, that had been the tool that changed everything, was in a drawer the Empresses bedside table. He hadn’t seen her touch it since putting it there. As far as he knew it still shone brilliant crystal blue, the kyber untouched and unaltered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shifted as his hands began to work her lower legs, kneading the toned muscle on one side then the other. He glanced up at her face, searching for signs of distress, but there was nothing. He traced his hands over her knees, rubbing at them only briefly before continuing upward. He spent most every waking minute with her so he knew she wasn’t actively exercising or keeping up with her saber forms. She was naturally slim and years of malnutrition had made her even smaller, but yet still somehow her entire body was corded with muscle. The knots in her thighs were almost entirely non existent but he dug his fingers in nonetheless, rubbing and stroking intermittently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he moved further upward, he could feel the heat she was giving off, her arousal practically tangible in the air. Her pussy was shiny, damp with both water and her own slick. Another twinge of possessive pride, he’d been able to do that simply by touching her. Her body responded so easily and willing to his hands on her. She was so beautiful, the sight of her practically demanding his touch. He massaged her inner thighs, close enough to feel the tickle of her hair against him but not actually touching. He moved away to her hips and barely held back a chuckle at the soft, needy whimper that she made. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be patient sweetheart, we’ve got all night.” He muttered in amusement, more to himself than to her. Her stomach was somewhat ticklish and he was careful not to touch her in a way that would make her seize with laughter. She had little flesh for him to massage on her stomach so he settled on running his hands up and down the length of her torso, fingertips tracing tiny teasing circles on the sides of her breasts each time he was close enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her nipples were rock hard when he finally decided to show her breasts the attention they deserved. He cupped them both in his hands, squeezing and kneading, flicking his thumbs across her nipples. He leaned over her, sucking and licking at one nipple while his hand worked the rest of her breast beneath his mouth. A soft moan left her lips, a touch of the bond revealing that she’d attempted to split her focus between his actions and her own. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Focus.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he chastised teasingly, gently pinching the nipple not in his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Easy for you to say.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She replied, though her mental voice sounded labored. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Would you like me to stop?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He asked, only a little serious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you dare.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> and then she was gone again, walls reinforced to keep him from having to fight off the Dark Side himself. She always did that, Empress or otherwise, one thing her entire self agreed upon was that he not be exposed directly to the Dark Side any longer. He was grateful, uncertain if he’d be able to fight it off as well as she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bit of snark in her demand was promising, it’d hadn’t had the dark undercurrent that the Empresses orders typically did, instead it had sounded almost like the Scavenger. He gave one last suck to her nipple before switching to the other one. He was entirely leaning over her and could feel the rise and fall of her chest in time with her heartbeat. It was getting heavier, faster, deeper, her body reacting to her arousal and also her mental exertion. After all of her chest was thoroughly lavished, her skin shiny with his spit, he pulled his mouth away to continue the shoulder rub he’d begun earlier. This time he focused also on the area where her neck met her shoulder and collarbone, delicately working at the knots without pressing on her windpipe. He stroked her neck and rubbed at her jawline, leaning down to capture her lips with his. She returned his kiss instinctually, tongue swiping across his lips while he nibbled gently on hers. His hands traveled to her temple rubbing circles at her hairline, careful not to mess up the braids. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally he released her lips and stood up straight. She tilted her face towards him, chasing somewhat after this lips. He let out a huff of amused laughter and kissed her again quickly. Carefully, he then turned her over so he could work on her back. He worked his way downward this time, beginning with her scalp, rubbing light circles between the braids so as not to tangle her hair or ruin the work he’d done. He spent a long time on the base of her neck and shoulders where she still had knots despite his short massage of them earlier. He massaged small circles down her back on either side of her spine all the way down to her perfect, pert ass. He paused his path and moved back up to her arms, each of his hands capable of wrapping entirely around her. He massaged at the joints of her fingers, pressing his lips to each of her fingertips and to her palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He returned back to her ass, digging his fingers into her, rubbing and jiggling and playing with it. He moved down, spreading her legs apart. Ben dragged a single finger down the length of her slit, completely unsurprised when it was shiny with her wet arousal. Instead of wiping his hand on the towel beneath her, he sucked it into his mouth. She always tasted so delicious, tangy and sweet and entirely his to savor. She loved when he used his tongue on her, rained praises upon him when he did, tonight however he wanted to try something different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He placed his hands back on her thighs, she whimpered again at the loss of his touch where she was most sensitive. He said nothing but continued his work, reaching her feet once again. He rubbed circles into them, kissed each one, then stood up. Her body was flushed all over, impossibly pliant and loose as he lifted her from the towel and flipped her onto her back once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, he was dressed only in his undertunic and trousers. He would remove his trousers but right now they were the only thing keeping his cock contained. He’d been just as affected as she had, his body responding in kind. With some adjusting he climbed onto the bed next to her and turned her so she lay on her side, then maneuvered himself to spoon around her, drawing her waist to his. His cock throbbed from the sudden pressure of her ass against him, the warmth of her radiating around him. She shifted unconsciously, drawing a groan from him in response. He put a hand across her lower stomach to still her, the size of it spanning across her almost entirely. When she finally fell still, that was when he reached around to stroke across her slit with a single finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She bucked under him, the pressure of his hand on her mound only thing keeping her hips flush to his. He pressed his lips to her neck, dipping his finger lower to trace a line on her skin. She was wet, practically dripping as he stroked up and down, never entering but softly rubbing. She moaned, trying to hump against his touch. “I’ve got you sweetheart.” He whispered into her ear, finger finding her clit and circling it. She whimpered, actions growing more desperate. He pulled away from her clit and hovered his hand above her for a moment, her breathing heavy and skin flushed. He licked his finger clean, giving her a minute to calm down without his hands all over her. She hadn't peaked yet, he knew what she looked and felt like when she did, but she was close. Force she was close. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he waited for her breathing to settle, he moved his hips against her, rubbing his covered cock against the cleft of her ass. Without his direct touch on her sensitive skin she was still flushed, arousal leaking and trickling across the bond. His cock throbbed in the confines of his trousers, he wanted more than anything to feel the heat of her skin against him, even if he never slid into the warm wet heat of her pussy. But he knew the moment he moved to take off his trousers that he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. Even the thought of her slick pussy resting on his cock, not even entering her, just touching him, sent a shiver of desire down his spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ben, please”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Her whimpered plea flashed into his mind and he realized she’d opened the bond just a crack. Her mind was fogged with arousal, a glowing cloud that blocked everything else out. It was an effect they’d noticed fairly early on. If she was focused on her own pleasure, on the feel of them together, nothing else seemed to matter. She was invincible against the dark when they laid together. Perhaps it was the power of love or lust or just her ability to be single-mindedly determined, whatever the cause, it gave Rey to him for at least a short time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dipped his hand back down and finally slid his finger into her. She moaned so loud and long, he was grateful that this entire floor was privately for her. Torturously slow he began to thrust his finger in and out of her, dragging the pad of his finger across her walls. “Ben” his name came from her lips like a prayer to an ancient deity. Begging, pleading, desperate for more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slid another finger into her, she could take more and they both knew it, but this was about making it slow, making her completely unwound. With two fingers he was able to scissor within her and vary where his pressure fell, stroking her and flicking his thumb across her swollen outer lips. He crooked them both, pressing against the rough patch just inside her. Rey cried out, a gasping keening moan of a sound that went straight to his cock. Around his fingers he could feel her walls begin to flutter, her release approaching at lightspeed.  He couldn’t help but whisper praises into her flushed ears as he moved his fingers. Praises of her beauty, how good she was, how turned on she made him, how much he loved her. It spilled from him unendingly, the bond alight between them. He could feel a damp spot on the front of his trousers either her wetness or his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With his free hand he reached to the waistband of his trousers and underwear, pushing them down enough that his cock was finally freed. He bit back a hiss from the near overwhelming sensation of her heated skin against his aching and overstimulated cock. With a shift of his hips he slotted himself under the cleft of her ass, her warm slick combined with the precum that wheeped from his desperate cock providing more than enough lube that he could rut against her. He didn’t enter her, fingers still working overtime within her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ben, I’m going-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know sweetheart, I've got you, let go. Let me take care of you.” The reminder of his care, the feeling of his cock rubbing against her and the touch of his thumb against her clit combined to send her over the edge, her entire body stiffening as her inner muscles clamped and writhed around his fingers. She was so tight around him it was almost painful but nearly as painful as the strain of his cock. She was just so gorgeous. The sounds she made and the feel of her entire body pushing against him was enough to trigger him to let go, cum spurting against her skin. He moaned her name as he came, holding her tightly to his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She relaxed once more in his hold, entire body spent. He loosened his hold on her and slid his fingers from her but didn’t let her go entirely. Using the Force he summoned washcloth from the ‘fresher and used it to clean both of them off. He tossed it aside to be dealt with in the morning before focusing his attention back on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was already half asleep in his arms so he didn’t bother with trying to get her dressed in night clothes. Instead, he lifted her enough to kick the towel out from under her, stripped his trousers and underwear entirely off, then pulled a nearby blanket to drape over them. He reached out with the bond, her mind was no longer turbulent, instead a soft hum of sleep and satisfaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben pressed a kiss to her hair, sending a whispered </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>across the bond. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I know.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben fell asleep with a soft smile on his face and Rey in his arms.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bonus round, count how many times Ben refers to her as 'Sweetheart' lol I just really have a thing for him using it as an endearment.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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